Electric timepiece

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to an electric timepiece with a driving regulator mechanism, the oscillations of which are electrically sustained by means of a transistorized circuit comprising at least two windings, i.e. a pickup winding and a driving winding. This timepiece is characterized by the fact that it comprises two winding carrying plates on each of which is secured one of these windings, one of the said plates carrying moreover the transistor or transistors as well as at least one part of the other elements of the sustaining circuit.

United States Patent BA, 23 TF.23 V, 28, 53,116

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3.469.389 9/l969 Nakai et al 58/23 3,48l,l37 9/l969 Hetzeletal M 58/23 Primary Examiner-Richard B. Wilkinson Assistant Examiner-Edith C Simmons Attorneys-Kenwood Ross and Chester E. Flavin ABSTRACT: The present invention relates to an electric timepiece with a driving regulator mechanism, the oscillations of which are electrically sustained by means of a transistorized circuit comprising at least two windings, i.e. a pickup winding and a driving winding This timepiece is characterized by the fact that it comprises two winding carrying plates on each of which is secured one of these windings, one of the said plates carrying moreover the transistor or transistors as well as at least one part of the other elements of the sustaining circuit.

. .1s-- H n PATENTEDSEPMIBII 3.604.202 SHEET 1 OF 3 FIG. 4

INVENTORS. Rem BESSOH ELECTRIC TlMEPlECE The drawing shows, by way of example, one embodiment of this invention.

FIG. 1 is a plan view, from above, of the clockwork of an electric watch with an oscillating resonator;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the resonator of the watch;

FIG. 3 is an elevational view of the resonator;

FIG. 4 is a diagram of the electric sustaining circuit;

HO. 5 is an elevational view of another detail, and

FIG. 6 is a sectional view along line VlVl of FIG. 1, on a smaller scale.

Thewatch shown comprises a diving regulator mechanism consisting of a symmetrical flexure resonator of which the two flexible branches 1 (FIGS. 1, 2 and 3) are connected at their base by a rigid transverse part 1a having an ear lb intended for the fixing of this resonator on the baseplate, designated by 2, of the clockwork. Each flexible branch 1 carries at its free end a magnetic bar 3, belonging to a transducer, ensuring the maintenance of the oscillations of the resonator, the position of which, viewed in plan, is staggered in relation to the center of the movement.

Each flexible branch 1 further carries, secured at its free end, in the neighborhood of the transducer, a rigid arm 4, directed towards the transverse part 1a, ending with an enlarged part 4a. Each enlarged part 4a carries, secured thereto, a trunnion 5 on which is forced a washer 6 to form a counterweight. On each washer 6 is located an inertia block 7, starshaped with three branches, of which one of the branches is bored with a hole 8 producing an asymmetry such that the center of gravity of the piece does not coincide with its geometrical axis. Thus, by turning the star-shaped pieces 7, the kinetic moment of the resonator is modified, which enables modification of its frequency and, consequently, an adjustrnent of the running of the watch.

Due to the presence of these rigid arms, the instantaneous rotational center of each of the two symmetrical parts of the resonator coincides with its center of gravity so that the frequency of the oscillations of the resonator does not depend from its variations of position in a field of force, particularly in the field of gravity.

The maintenance of the oscillations of the resonator is ensured electrically by means of a transistorized circuit, the diagram of which is shown in FIG. 4. This circuit comprises, principally, a current source 10 supplying, when the transistor is released, two driving windings l2 and 13, intended to act on the magnets 3 of the resonator, and a pickup winding 14, in which current is induced by one of the magnets 3, and which releases the transistor 11 so that the driving pulses can reach the windings l2 and 13.

it is to be noted that, in practice, the pickup winding 14 is combined with one of the driving windings, namely winding 12, for example, to one single winding.

The two windings 12-14 and 13 are carried by two plates of insulating material 15, 16, respectively, secured to the baseplate 2, the first by means of three screws l7, l8 and 19, the second by means of two screws and 21. The windings are stuck by their base on the edge of the plates in two zones, 22, 23, respectively, of this edge, facing each other in such a manner that the windings are coaxial and in alignment, which thus permits the magnets 3 to be engaged therein.

The current source 10 is constituted by a battery maintained in place by a small bar 24, additionally ensuring an electrical contact.

The plate 15 carries the transistor 11 as well as the other elements of the sustaining circuit of the resonator, such as a resistance and a condenser 26.

it is to be noted, as is shown by the electrical connections, such as the lead 27 connecting one of the poles of the combined'winding 12-14 to the screw 17, the lead 28 connecting the emitter, designated by 29, of the transistor 11 to the screw 18, as well as the leads 30 and 31 connecting the two poles of the winding 13 to the screws 20 and 21, respectively, that these different screws are not only intended for the fixation of the plates 15 and 16, but also for ensuring electrical connections; furthermore, the screw 19 ensures the connection between the electronic circuit and the mass.

The oscillator is both driving and regulator. To this end, it actuates a counting device, comprising a pawl 32 articulated at 33 on the enlarged part 4a of one of the rigid branches 4 of the resonator, this pawl acting on a counting ratchet wheel, designated by 34.

It is to be noted that the point of attachment 33 of the counting device on the resonator coincides with the center of deformation of the assembly formed by the rigid arm 4 and the flexible branch 1 associated therewith, during the displacements of this assembly due to the effect of accelerations, this center of deformation being distinct from the center of oscillation of this assembly, during its displacements due to the vibrating oscillations.

The counting device is thus practically insensible to the accelerations, particularly due to shocks, to which the timepiece is submitted.

Besides, the counting wheel 34 is submitted to the action of a retaining pawl 35 fixed at 36 on a plate 37 traversed with play by a clamp screw 38 screwed in the baseplate 2. An eccentric 39 permits the plate 37 to be turned lightly about a trunnion 66 carried by the baseplate, which permits to carry out a fine adustment of the position of the retaining pawl 35 with respect to the position of the driving pawl 32. This adjustment of the relative position of the two pawls is necessary so that the counting is correctly carried out. In fact, this relative position must be determined with a great exactitude which is hardly possible to obtain by manufacturing, in such a manner that it is necessary that it can be adjusted.

The counting wheel 34, driven step by step by the pawl 32, is rigid with a pinion 40 meshing with the wheel 41 of an intermediary gear the pinion 42 of which is meshing with the seconds wheel, located in the center, designated by 43 (FIG. 6). t

It is to be noted that the pinion 40 of the counting gear 34-40 freely traverses a tubular sleeve 44, secured to the baseplate 2 of the clockwork, and which is provided with a notch 45 allowing passage of'the wheel 41 of the intermediary gear 41-42. This tubular sleeve 44 has for purpose to prevent any risk of deterioration of the counting gear 34-40 during the fitting of the clockwork, in fact, the counting gear when it is placed in its lower bearing, designated by 46, is supported by the sleeve 44, which permits an easy fitting of the gear-train bar, designated by 47.

The driving of the minutes indicator is indirect: to this end, the seconds wheel 43, locatedinthe center, is provided by a pinion 48 meshing with the wheel 49 of the third gear of which the pinion, designated by 50, is meshing with the wheel 51 of the minutes gear. The pinion, designated by 52, of this minutes gear meshes with the wheel 53 of the dial train, the pinion 54 of which is itself meshing with the hour wheel, designated by 55.

The shaft 48a of the seconds pinion 48 carries a bush 56 carrying a groove wheel 57 against which a spring 58 is bearing, acting as a brake, preventing the floating of the seconds hand, due to backlash.

The connection between the third wheel 49 and its pinion 50 is ensured by a friction coupling comprising a collet 59, radially slotted at 60, forced on a bush 50a of the pinion 50. The upper axial face of the collet is provided with a notch in which is engaged one of the edges, designated by 61a, of a frame-shaped blade-spring 61, substantially plane (FIGVS),

the opposite edge of which, designated by 61b, bears (FIG. 6) on the axis, designated by 62, on the third gear.

This coupling has the advantage of producing a relatively light couple. In fact, this coupling, in comparison with a normal indenting, slides more easily, so desirable in the case of an electric watch where the counting mechanism offers a retention which is much weaker than that produced by an escape mechanism. Furthermore, this coupling only produces a very low dispersion, meaning a very small variation of coupling between the different pieces of a series. It offers a great resistance to shocks and the shape of its spring is such that no torsion of this latter is produced, which could have the effect of provoking a return in reverse direction after the slidings upon hour-setting operations.

The watch shown comprises a date indicating 'crown 63, having an inner toothing 64, rotatably mounted on the baseplate 2, and which is driven step by step, at the rate of one step each 24 hours, by a nonrepresented mechanism, being out of the scope of this invention.

The setting stem, designated by 65, is slidably mounted on the baseplate and is able to occupy three positions, namely a locking or neutral position, in which it is entirely pushed in, and in which it is inoperative, a setting position, in which it is entirely pulled out and in which it permits acting on the hands in view of the setting of the watch, and the third position, which is intermediary, and in which it permits acting on the date crown for the setting of the calendar.

What we claim is:

1. In an electric timepiece with a driving regulator mechanism the oscillations of which are electrically sustained by means of a transistorized circuit comprising at least a pickup winding and adriving winding and including two winding carrying plates on each of which is secured one of the windings, one of the plates carrying moreover the transistor or transistors, as well as at least a part of the other elements of the sustaining circuit and a generator train driven by said mechanism, the improvement consisting of: each of the plates being secured on the frame of the clockwork by means of screws at least some of which additionally ensure an electrical connection, and said gear train comprising a gear formed of two elements idle with respect to one another and connected by a frictional coupling, wherein said coupling carries a substantially planar frame-shaped elastic plate embedded by one of its edges in a groove provided in the axial face of one of the elements, and acting, by its opposite edge, radially on a cylindrical shoulder of the other element. a

2. In an electric timepiece with a driving regulator mechanism, the oscillations of which are electrically sustained by means of a transistorized circuit comprising at least a pickup winding and a driving winding and including two winding carrying plates on each of which is secured one of the windings, one of the plates carrying moreover the transistor or transistors, as well as at least a part of the other elements of the sustaining circuit, with each of the plates being secured on the frame of the clock work by means of screws at least some of which additionally ensure an electrical connection, the improvement consisting of: the driving regulator mechanism comprising a counting wheel pivoted between the baseplate and a clockwork bar, with the baseplate carrying a sleeve coaxial with the axis of the counting gear and directed towards the clockwork bar, and with the counting gear being freely engaged, and with the sleeve being intended to support the counting gear and prevent it from rocking upon the fitting of the clockwork bar. 

1. In an electric timepiece with a driving regulator mechanism the oscillations of which are electrically sustained by means of a transistorized circuit comprising at least a pickup winding and a driving winding and including two winding carrying plates on each of which is secured one of the windings, one of the plates carrying moreover the transistor or transistors, as well as at least a part of the other elements of the sustaining circuit and a generator train driven by said mechanism, the improvement consisting of: each of the plates being secured on the frame of the clockwork by means of screws at least some of which additionally ensure an electrical connection, and said gear train comprising a gear formed of two elements idle with respect to one another and connected by a frictional coupling, wherein said coupling carries a substantially planar frame-shaped elastic plate embedded by one of its edges in a groove provided in the axial face of one of the elements, and acting, by its opposite edge, radially on a cylindrical shoulder of the other element.
 2. In an electric timepiece with a driving regulator mechanism, the oscillations of which are electrically sustained by means of a transistorized circuit comprising at least a pickup winding and a driving winding and including two winding carrying plates on each of which is secured one of the windings, one of the plates carrying moreover the transistor or transistors, as well as at least a part of the other elements of the sustaining circuit, with each of the plates being secured on the frame of the clock work by means of screws aT least some of which additionally ensure an electrical connection, the improvement consisting of: the driving regulator mechanism comprising a counting wheel pivoted between the baseplate and a clockwork bar, with the baseplate carrying a sleeve coaxial with the axis of the counting gear and directed towards the clockwork bar, and with the counting gear being freely engaged, and with the sleeve being intended to support the counting gear and prevent it from rocking upon the fitting of the clockwork bar. 